Injustice In The Commons

I would like to bring up an injustice that has been an ongoing issue I have experienced in the commons.Â I pay this school $40,000 each year for an education.Â That is over $100,000 over my 4 years here.Â In my 8 semesters, I will have eaten over 1,500 meals in the commons.Â And from time to time while eating those meals I can be rushed and don’t have enough time to sit down and enjoy my meal and would rather take it with me, but I can’t because of a sign at the door that reads “no dishes beyond this point.”

Â I, as well as many others of my fellow students, have seen the wrath of the workers in the commons as they come down hard on us for taking a cup while in a hurry to class, or for taking a mug filled with delicious coffee that will keep us awake during class, or for taking a bowl of cereal because it is just too tasty to finish in one short sitting.Â Are we supposed to stuff the cereal in our pockets?Â Are we supposed to cup our hands and drink the coffee out of our pores?Â It will surely burn. How do you expect us to enjoy these things in our short amount of free time?

If it wasn’t for my tuition, the commons wouldn’t even have cups and bowls.Â Therefore, I do believe I own them.Â The cups are my property, as well as my other fellow students who pay to go to this school (those on a full-ride scholarship don’t count).Â Therefore, we should be allowed to do with our property what we choose.Â And I choose to take my plate filled with delectable grilled cheese and bacon, and when I sneak it out of the side express exit, I don’t want to hear anything about it. That plate is mine!

Â Furthermore, not being able to take dishes from the commons is hampering our learning abilities.Â As I said before, if you were to walk up to any college students at any time during the day or night Monday and Thursday and ask how we’re doing, 90% of us would undoubtedly say we’re tired.Â We’re always tired. And do you know why we’re tired? Because we don’t have coffee. And do you know why we don’t have coffee?Â Because we aren’t allowed to take a mug of coffee with us out of the commons.Â Our energy comes from food and drink, which we never have time to partake in.Â If you would allow us to take coffee mugs with us, I can guarantee the school would see a rise in GPA’s all over the board.

Â I propose a treaty between the students and the commons.Â If the commons will allow us to take plates, bowls, waffle makers, etc. with us as we leave commons, us students on the other hand will promise to bring every piece back before the end of the semester.